Wiping attachment for film-drying apparatus



. 2 Y 2 R /M w .w a w m FND N R 5 E O w i W w, w 1 A 4, W 2 1 S U u 51. m g M M A A Y G B m 2 H M m n a M, m J i 2. c. w M f i @y e@ w M e kk. Y H u a c f A Hf -P n www u.. w w ,4.JwnwwwlwwWVW 4 A; I 1 a m d j y a f ,m a M being Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

CAMILLE HENRI FUCHS, or NEW Yonx, N. Y.

'WIPING AAll''PACHllllIlilPll FOR FILMfIDRYINGr APPARATUS.

Application filed April 12, 1922. Serial No. 551,878.

subjected tothe usual developing process.

and consists of an auxiliary wiping means or mechanism advantageously interposed between the washing tanks and the drying machines or cabinets of the standard forms of film developing apparatus. rilhe purpose of my -resent improvements is to effect a mechanical wiping or dryin of the film preparatory to the further rying thereo within -the drying cabinet so as to remove from the surface of the film any accumulated moisture or particles of liquid or other foreign matter adhering thereto. This initial wiping of the film surface is particularly desirable in avoiding marking or spotting of the ilm as comm-only experienced where the conditions permit of the liquid particles being carried within Vthe drying cabinet wherein upon evaporation there is left, to more or lem degree, a visible condensate.

My improved wiping mechanism for the.

purpose described is designed to possess important advantages over the customarily employed wiping pads which become saturated and in consequence ineHective which necessitates their frequent renewal with objecttionable interruption toI the desired continuous operation. The improved device of my invention accordingly employs a -wiping belt of chamois or other suitable absorbent material in an arrangement providing for a substantial area of wiping enga ment' with the film and to further permit o the desired continuous operation. To this end an endless wiping belt is suitably positioned in contact with the film Vsurface to be acted upon and is driven to obtain the desired rate of movement of the hlm thereover, provision further made for the continuousremoval of the accumulated or excessive moisture from the belt. rllhe described and other features and advantages of my imp-roved mechanism will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals are applied to the corresponding parts in the several views.

1n the drawings: l

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating the 'features of my invention associated with the drying cabinet, partially shown in section. j

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view illustrating the method of driving the wiping belt.

Fig. 31s a similar view illustrating a desirable modified arrangement having provision for conveniently regulatin the rate of movement transmitted to the wiping belt.

In the approved embodiment of my invention, as here illustrated, the impro-ved wiping mechanism is incorporated with the usual drying cabinet as an attachment theret0, the arrangement being such that the wiping is effected immediately in advance oii' the lilmentering the drying machine. lin the construction shown, 1v indicates the front vertical wall of the drying machine, 2 the entry opemng therethrough for the passage of the ilm f into the cabinet, wherein it is fully dried byy evaporation. 3 indicates the usual journalled guide-spool for the guiding of the film' into the drier as it passes upwardly from the inal washing in the developing apparatus (not shown). At 5 is shown a suitably journalled driving spool provided with sprocket teeth 6 for the entrainment of the film, the feed movement being transmitted to the driving spool 5 by means of a drive chain 7 engaging a suitable sprocket upon the spool shaft 8, -as is readily understood.

lnaccordance with my invention and as illustrated, a suitable bracket .10 is secured to the outer face of the wall 1 of the drying machine. Upon the bracket there are journailed upper and lower idler rollers or spools 11 and "12 provided with the usual projecting guide flanges 13, 13 spaced to receive between them the film strip. rlhe idler i spools 11 and 12 are journaleled upon bearl ing shafts 11i and 15 carried by the outwardly projecting arms 16 and 17 of the bracket member 10. rl`he wiping or drying element is indicated at 20 in the form of anl endless belt of chamois, felt or other suitable absorbent material. 'lhis/ belt is carried `at its upper end vupon the spool`11, is passed over the spool 12 `and at its lower end is fitted upon a spool 21. The-latter is jour.- nalled at 22 upon a bearing stud carried by rthe pivotally supported arm 23 and fitted upon the stud or shaft 15 at its upper end.

In the arr-angement of Figs. 1 and 2, 3roi visionis made for driving the drying belt whereby the portion thereof in engagement with the film, will be moved in the reverse direction to the movement of the film. This is accomplished by means of a driven spool 25 journalled upon a bearing stud 26 suitably supported upon the bracket 10. This driving spooll 25 may desirably be rotated by means of the chain 7 engaging a sprocket 2-7 secured to the spool, the chain 7 being, as shown, carried inwardly and over an idler sprocket 28 and thence over the sprocket The spool 25 is journalled in substantially the horizont-al plane of the spool 21'and the method ofv driving is by the frictional engagement of the spool 25 with the belt 20 which is interposed between the spools 21 and 25 and held under compression against 'the latter under the influence of a retractile spring 29 connected to an eyelet30 of the bracketlO and at its other end attached to an adjustable eyelet 31 secured to the pivoted arm 23. As indicated in Fig. 2, the peripheral surface of the driving spool 25 may desirably be serrated or otherwise suitably roughened thereby more effectively to entrain the belt in the transmission of motion thereto.

Suitably supported in a position intermediate of the spools 11 and 12 there is provided, as shown, a curved bearing plate 18 disposed within the normal path of the belt so as to deflect the belt to travel or slide over its convex surface engaging the inner surface of the belt, as shown, there is thereby obtained an intimate or close contact and vengagement between the opposed surfaces of the film and belt intermediate of the rollers 11 and 12 thereby providing an elongated area of active wiping surface. The curved bearing plate 18, as indicated, is desirably supported .by means of extension arms 19 `from the bracket 10.

The disclosed arrangement thus provides an endless, driven belt positioned in the path of the film whereby, in its travel to the guide spool 3, the film is caused to travel or ride over an extended length of the drying belt with their opposed surfaces in inand the arrangement of the spools 21 and 25 i is such that the compression of the drying belt v2O between the spools 21 and 25 will opthe removal of the adhering liquid is very4 thoroughly accomplished and moreover this operation is permissibly continuous.

While l have described, and shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an approved embodiment of the features-of my invention it will be understood that the same is subject to various modification. As an illustration thereof,

l have shown in F ig. 3 a modifie-d arrangej ment of the driving parts wherein additional means are incorporated for conveniently regulating or adjusting the rate of motion imparted to the drying belt where- Vby the relative movement of the film and the belt may be determined to obtain the results desired. ln this lat-ter construction the rotation of the belt driving spool 25 is eected from a suitable driving sprocket 35 xed upon a journalled shaft 36 from which the motion is transmitted to the spool 25 through adjustable gearing. Ars shown, the spool 25 is fixed upon a suitably journalled rotating shaft 37 arranged at right angles to the shaft 36 and having afiixed to its inner le`nd a driving disc or gear member 38 frictionally engaged by a coacting gearing disc 39 secured to shaft 36 by a set screw 40. The disc 39 is adjustable longitudinally on the shaft 36 determining the gearing ratio and resulting rate of movement impiarted to the driving belt.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A mechanical wiping attachment for film drying machines comprising an endless drying belt supported to engage the film, means for driving the drying belt with a relative movement'between the belt and film and means operative continuously to remove excess moisture from the belt.

2. A mechanical wiping attachment for film drying machines comprising an endless drying belt supported to have an elongated surface engagement with the film, meansfor driving the drying belt with a relative movement between the belt and film and means operative continuously toremove excessv moisture from the belt.

' 3. A mechanical wiping means for motion picture film arranged for use in combination with developing apparatus and the drying cabinet associated therewith and interposed therebetween, comprising an endless drying belt supported to have an elongated surface engagement with the film in its passage froln the developing apparatus to the drying cabinet, means for driving the drying belt with a relative movement between the belt and film in a continuous operation and means adapted to expel the accumulated or excess moisture from the drying belt.

4. A mechanical wiping means for motion picture film arranged for use in combination with developing apparatus and the drying cabinet associated therewith and interposed therebetween, comprising an. endless drying belt supported to have an elongated surface engagement with the film in its passage from the developing apparatus to the dryin cabinet, means for driving the drying be t in a reverse direction to the movement of the film and in a continuous operation and means adapted to expel the accumulated or excess moisture from the drying belt.

5. A mechanical wiping attachment for motion picture film dryingfmachines comprising suitably journalled supporting' spools an endless drying belt of absorbent material supported upon the spools in position to have an elongated surface in contact with the film entering the drying machine, said spools being in substantially superimposed relation, a driven spool suitably journalled adjacent the lowermost of the belt carrying spools, said lowermost spool being 'movably supported and resilient means arranged to act thereon to move said spool under pressure toward the driven spool whereby the belt is compressed therebetween to be driven by frietional Iengagement and whereby the accumulated liquid will be expelled therefrom.-

6. A mechanical wiping attachment for motion picture film dryin machines comprising suitably journa led supporting spools, an endless drying belt of absorbent material supported upon the spools in' position to have an elongated surface in contact with the film entering the drying machine,

said spools being in substantially superimposed relation, a driving spool suitably journalled adjacent the lowermost of the belt carrying spools and having its axis parallel thereto in substantially the horizontal plane -resiliently acting upon t accumulated liquid will be expelled therefrom and means operative to rotate the driving spool for moving the belt reversely with relation to the film.

7. A mechanical wiping attachment for Lfilm drying machines comprising suitably journalled supporting spools, an endless drying belt of absorbent material carried by the spools, a curved bearing plate supported intermediate of the belt carrying spools and adapted to coact therewith to support the drying belt in position to have an elongated surface of engagement with the film, means for driving the drying belt with a relative movement between the belt and film and means operative continuously to remove excess moisture from the belt.

8. A mechanical wiping attachment for motion picture film drying machines, com-- prising suitably journalled supporting spools, an endless drying belt of absorbent material supported upon the spools, a curvilinear bearlng plate' suitably supported to project within the normal path of the film and engaging the belt to position it to have an elongated surface contact with the film entering the drying machine, a driven spool suitably journalle adjacent the lowermost of the belt carrying spools, said lowermost spool being movably supported and means ie said spool to act under pressure against the driven spool whereb the belt is compressed therebetween to be riven by frict-ional engagement and whereby the accumulated liquid will be expelled therefrom.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of -New York, this 10th day of March, A. D. 1922.

CAMILLE .HENRI FUCHS. 

